Dubai based company begins Indian visa services

Abu Dhabi, Apr.6 (ANI): BLS International Services, a Dubai-based company will start handling outsourced Indian passport and visa services from five centres across the UAE.

The company has won a contract from the Indian Embassy and will cater to around 300000 applicants annually.

The centre is located opposite the Main Bus Terminal in Abu Dhabi and was inaugurated by Indian Ambassador MK Lokesh and BLS senior officials.

“The Government of India started outsourcing visa and passport transaction services at the country’s embassies around the world about five years ago to help provide smooth and fast services to community members and those wanting to visit India,” Gulfnews quoted Lokesh as saying.

Lokesh also said that the reduction in service charges announced earlier will come into force from Wednesday. In addition to the passport fee, the service charge for passports will be reduced to 9 Dirhams from 12 Dirhams and for the visa to 37.50 Dirhams from 50 Dirhams.

Raminder Singh, COO of BLS, said that the centre in Abu Dhabi will cater to over 150 applications at its seven counters daily. In Dubai, he said the centre will receive over 400 applications a day. BLS International offers similar services for Indian expatriates in Kuwait. Its new website and call centre for the customers in the UAE are expected to be operational from Wednesday. (ANI)